[*A portion of this meeting is without audio*]
[1. CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:03]
AND, UH, PRIOR TO ROLL CALL, I'D LIKE TO MAKE CLEAR FOR THE RECORD OF THIS MEETING THAT IT SHOULD BE REFLECTED IN THE MINUTES THAT AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING IS CONDUCTED PURSUANT TO CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 4 9 5 3.
AND THAT COUNCIL MEMBER MOLINA IS IN, UH, DALLAS, TEXAS ON BUSINESS.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MOLINA IS PARTICIPATING BY ZOOM IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RALPH M. BROWN ACT AND THE TELECONFERENCE LOCATION HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THE NOTICE AND AGENDA FOR THIS MEETING, UM, WITH THAT CITY CLERK.
UH, CHAPEL, PLEASE CONDUCT THE ROLL CALL AFTER WHICH I WILL ASK COUNCIL MEMBER MOLINA TO RECOGNIZE ME IN ORDER TO CONFIRM CERTAIN MATTERS FOR THE RECORD.
COUNCIL MEMBER MOLINA PRESENT VICE MAYOR IMANI.
CAN YOU HEAR ME HERE? MAYOR MORRISON.
NOW I'D LIKE TO REQUEST THAT COUNCIL MEMBER MOLINA RESPOND TO THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS.
UH, COUNCIL COUNCILOR MOLINA, CAN YOU HEAR ME AND SEE THE DAIS? YES, I CAN.
WERE YOU ABLE TO HEAR OUR PROCEEDINGS AS THE INTRODUCTION OF THE MEETING? YES, I CAN.
DO YOU HAVE A COPY OF THE AGENDA FOR THIS MEETING? YES, I DO.
UH, HAVE YOU POSTED THE AGENDA AT A LOCATION WHERE YOU ARE YOU ARE AT? YES.
I'M, I'M WALKING TO THE ROOM THAT I'M
GONNA BE AT, I'LL BE THERE IN JUST TWO MINUTES.
UM, IS YOUR LOCATION REASONABLY ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC SUCH THAT ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC COULD PARTICIPATE IN THIS TELECONFERENCE FROM YOUR LOCATION IF HE OR SHE WISHES TO DO SO? YES, IT IS.
IS THERE ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC THERE WITH YOU WHO WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PUBLIC, UH, COMMENT PORTION OF THIS MEETING OR OTHERWISE ADDRESS ANY AGENDA ITEM FOR THIS MEETING? NOT AT THIS TIME.
IS YOUR INTERNET CONNECTION ON A SECURE VN, UH, VPN AND NOT A PUBLIC NETWORK? YES, IT IS.
UM, I WOULD NOW LIKE TO ASK THAT ANY MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL TO PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE AT THIS TIME IF YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO CLEARLY HEAR OR SEE COUNCIL MEMBER MOLINA THROUGH THE CHAIR.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER MOLINA IS WHERE IN, UH, DALLAS, TEXAS.
IS THIS A BUSINESS COUNCIL BUSINESS? UM, UM, IS THAT SO ANYBODY CLEAR? NO, IT IS NOT.
WOULD YOU, WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION THERE? UH, YES, GO AHEAD.
YES, I'M AT THE NALE CONFERENCE IN DALLAS, TEXAS.
THIS IS A CONFERENCE THAT I DECIDED TO ATTEND ON MY OWN.
I DID NOT ASK FOR CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL BECAUSE IT WAS LATE.
UM, AND I'M HAPPY TO, UH, BRING THIS FORWARD AT A NEXT COUNCIL MEETING, BUT I SORT OF WANTED TO AVOID A LOT OF THE BACK AND FORTH, SO I WAS HAPPY TO, YOU KNOW, FUND THIS ON MY OWN WITHOUT THE NEED FOR CITY COUNCIL FUNDS THROUGH THE CHAIR.
I THINK IT'S NOT FUNDING ON HER OWN.
I THINK IT'S THE LAW, WHAT THE LAW SAY.
COUNCIL, IT'S IF YOU'RE SICK OR IF YOU ARE ON BUSINESS.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN CLARIFY? COUNSEL? THANK YOU.
YEAH, THERE'S, THERE'S TWO WAYS TO PARTICIPATE REMOTELY AND, UM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, MOLINA IS, IS PARTICIPATING REMOTELY UNDER THE BROWN ACTS, THE INITIAL BROWN ACT THAT WE HAD PREVIOUSLY, IF YOU WOULD, UH, BEFORE COVID, IF YOU WERE TO DO REMOTE, YOU'D HAVE TO NOTICE IT AT THE PLACE THAT YOU WERE GONNA BE AT.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE PROVISION THAT SHE IS PARTICIPATING UNDER.
THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE CONFIRMED BY THE COUNCIL.
BUT WE'RE NOT PROCEEDING UNDER THAT PROCEDURE.
COUNCIL MEMBER MOLINA SAID SHE'S ALMOST IN HER ROOM, SO THEN SHE'S NOT WALKING THAT WAY.
COUNCIL MEMBER? YES, THAT IS CORRECT.
OTHER THAN THAT, THE, UH, COUNCIL THE RECORD SHOULD REFLECT THAT ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT HAVE INDICATED THEY'RE ABLE TO, UH, HEAR AND SEE COUNCIL MEMBER MOLINA.
I WOULD NOW LIKE TO ADVISE THE COUNCIL MEMBERS OF THE, UH, THE, UH, AND THE CITY CLERK THAT ANY VOTES TAKEN DURING THE TELECONFERENCE PORTION OF THIS MEETING CAN BE TAKEN BY ROLL CALL VOTE ONLY.
WITH THAT, WE WILL CONTINUE WITH THE MEETING.
MR. CHAIR, DO WE HAVE TO ACCEPT THAT SHE'S REMOTE PARTICIPATING? NO, WE DON'T.
THAT'S, THAT'S ONLY IF YOU'RE DOING UNDER THE, UH, THE SEPARATE RULES.
AND WHICH FOR THAT ONE YOU DON'T HAVE TO POST.
UH, LIKE TO CALL THE MEETING YOUR ORDER.
A LIVE WEBCAST OF THE MEETING WILL, CAN BE VIEWED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE NOTICE AGENDA AND INFORMATION ON THE CITY OF NASHVILLE CITY'S WEBSITE.
AND FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT THEY MAY SUBMIT A GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT OR A PUBLIC COMMENT ON A SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEM IN A NUMBER OF
[00:05:01]
WAYS.IN PERSON, UH, IN THE, THE COUNCIL CHAMBER BY SUBMITTING A SALMON COLORED SPEAKER SLIP OR EMAILING NO LATER THAN ONE HOUR BEFORE THE MEETING, ALL WRITTEN COMMENTS RECEIVED WILL BE DISTRIBUTED TO THE COUNCIL PRIOR TO THE MEETING AND PUBLISHED ON THE CITY WEBSITE IF RECEIVED BY THE DEADLINE.
SO NOW THEN WE'RE ASKING FOR ANOTHER ROLL CALL.
I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO DO THAT, DO WE? NO, YOU CAN.
EVERYONE'S PRESENT THE SCRIPT.
YOU GAVE ME CALLS FOR ANOTHER ROLL CALL TO EVERYONE'S PRESENT AND WE HAVE THIS.
SO NOW WE WILL OPEN THE MEETING.
SO NOW WE'LL ASK, UH, FOR THE, UH, UH, IF WE CAN HAVE EVERYONE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
UH, MEMBER BUSH, IF YOU WOULD LEAD US, PLEASE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD INVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.
[4. PUBLIC COMMENT]
NOW HEAR PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE, UH, ITEM SPECIFIC TO THIS AGENDA.AND, UH, WE DO HAVE SOME REQUEST.
DO WE HAVE ANY ON, ON ZOOM? WE DO NOT HAVE ANY COMMENT ON ZOOM.
SO WE DO HAVE, WE HAVE, UH, QUITE A FEW COMMENTS TO BE MADE.
I'M GOING TO, UH, SET A TWO MINUTE, UH, TIME LIMIT ON THOSE.
AND, UH, UM, WITH THAT, LET'S SCREEN UP THERE.
UM, LET'S GO AHEAD AND START WITH THE, UH, COMMENTS.
FIRST, WE'LL HAVE JAMES KIM THERE.
UM, WE CAN GIVE YOU GUYS, UH, YOU GUYS ASK US FOR, UH, TO GIVE YOU GUYS A, AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, I GOT ABOUT A, UM, HOPEFULLY I COULD USE THE WHOLE TWO MINUTES ON THIS.
UM, HE ASKED US TO, UH, TO GIVE YOU GUYS SOME MORE TIME TO, UH, TO ADJUST YOUR NUMBERS, WHICH ARE, UM, UH, HR DIRECTOR AND YOUR FINANCE DIRECTOR AS WELL.
AND WE'VE DONE THAT AND HE ASKED US HELP FOR, FOR US.
IF WE'VE DONE THAT, THEN YOU KNOW WHAT WE ASK TO, IF YOU GUYS WILL WE DO THE, UH, THE, UH, WE WILL HOLD BACK AND, UH, I GUESS SO MUCH PASSION GOING IN RIGHT NOW, GUYS JUST KIND OF GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW.
SO, UM, SO WE HAVE, UM, SO THEREFORE, UH, YOU GUYS ASKED TO, TO, TO EXTEND OUR NEGOTIATION INTO THE PHYSICAL YEAR OF, OF, UH, JUNE OR JULY.
UM, WE, WE CONSIDERED, AND WE DID ASK FOR, UH, FOR, FOR US FOR DOING THAT.
WE ASKED FOR YOU GUYS TO, YOU KNOW, FOR 20%.
UH, AND YOU GUYS CAME BACK WITH 2% AND 2% WAS KIND OF LIKE A SLAP IN THE FACE WITH US.
I WAS LOOKING AT WHY, WHY SUCH A LOW NUMBER IF YOU LOOKED AT IT AND YOU GUYS, WOW.
WHY, WHY SUCH A, YOU KNOW, WHY ASK 20%? WELL, IF YOU REALLY LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, A LOT OF EMPLOYEES ARE REALLY DOWN TO 19%.
WE'RE TRYING TO BRING THOSE WHO ARE 19% DOWN BELOW TO BRING 'EM UP TO THE MEDIAN.
THERE'S A, THEY'RE SO FAR DOWN BELOW GUYS, I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY COULD SURVIVE TO LIVE, HONESTLY, WAGES, YOU KNOW, WE GOT, YOU KNOW, AND, AND WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, HEY, YOU KNOW, UH, HOLIDAYS ARE COMING IN, YOU GUYS ARE DOING GREAT.
OUR DIRECTORS, OUR CITY MANAGERS, SOME OF THE COUNCIL ARE DOING OKAY DOING, HAVE A PHENOMENAL CHRISTMAS AND GREAT, YOU KNOW, THANKSGIVING AS WELL.
BUT A LOT OF US HERE TODAY ARE PROBABLY NOT, PROBABLY A LOT OF US.
WERE JUST ONE, ONE SHY ABOVE OF BEING HOMELESS OR WAS SHY ABOVE.
OKAY? WE'RE NOT MAKING THAT MUCH MONEY, OKAY? AS AN EMPLOYEE, AS WORKERS HERE.
OKAY, JAMES, YOU KNOW, CAN I, CAN I FINISH MY, OKAY.
AND SO THEREFORE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT TRYING TO GET RICH ON THIS.
WE'RE NOT TRYING TO GET A SNATCH AND, AND GRAB SOME MONEY.
AND, AND, AND I KNOW MY TWO MINUTES ALREADY WENT UP HOUSE QUICK FOR TWO MINUTES.
I DON'T KNOW HOW SPEED IT UP
BUT THE THING IS, SO I'M JUST TRYING TO SAY, YOU GUYS LOOK AT, LOOK AT THESE GUYS RIGHT HERE.
DO THEY MAKE YOU GUYS SHINE? THEY DO EVERYTHING FOR YOU GUYS.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GUYS ARE OUT THERE, AND LIKE I SAID, IF YOU REALLY WANT TO DO SOMETHING FOR THESE, YOU KNOW, EMPLOYEES, THEN, YOU KNOW, GIVE 'EM, GIVE 'EM 10% RIGHT NOW.
BE YOU OWN WHAT? YOU, YOU GUYS WANNA MAKE 'EM THESE GUYS HAPPY? GIVE IT TO THEM.
[00:10:01]
ALL RIGHT.YOU KNOW, WE'RE OUT THERE EVERY DAY BUSTING OUR HUMP, DOING EVERYTHING FROM IRRIGATION, DEALING WITH THE HOMELESS.
MM-HMM,
I EVEN PAINT PASSION PAINTED THIS ROOM HERE.
LAST YEAR WE, WE HERE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR A FAIR SHAKE.
WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR A WHOLE BUNCH.
YOU KNOW, MOST, A LOT OF US PUBLIC WORKS GUYS TAKE A HUGE PAY CUT TO COME HERE TO TRY AND MAKE THE CITY BETTER.
EDDIE SANCHEZ, GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, CITY STAFF, AND OUR STAFF IN THE BACK.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA START OFF WITH CONGRATULATIONS TO MARCUS BUSH AND JOSE RODRIGUEZ ON BEING REELECTED VERY WELL EARNED AND WELL DESERVED.
SO I HAVE OMITTED AND 45 SECONDS, SO I'M GONNA MAKE IT REALLY SWEET AND SHORT.
UM, CITY ASKED FOR AN EXTENSION.
SO LET'S START AT THE BEGINNING.
HOW DID WE GET HERE ON AUGUST 16TH, 2024? THIS IS OUR OFFICIAL LETTER TO INTENT TO BARGAIN WITH THE CITY.
OCTOBER 16TH WAS OUR FIRST MEETING WITH THE CITY.
TWO MONTHS TO ACTUALLY MEET AND GET OUR DATES TOGETHER.
ALSO, WE WERE REQUESTING OUR SALARY SURVEY IN OUR MOU.
IT DOES STATE ARTICLE 30 THAT THE CITY SHALL NOT, SHOULD, SHALL PROVIDE TO US IN THE MONTH OF JULY.
OUR SALARY SURVEY, WHEN DID WE GET IT? YOU ASKED? OCTOBER 10TH, AND WE DIDN'T GET THE FULL SALARY SURVEY.
WE GOT HALF WITH ABOUT 55 POSITIONS MISSING.
OCTOBER 29TH WAS THE SECOND HALF OF OUR SALARY SURVEY THAT WE RECEIVED.
SO US AS A UNION NOT HAVING EVERYTHING IN OUR HANDS TO BE ABLE TO START OUR BARGAINING, WE, BUT SAID, OKAY, LET'S, LET'S, LET'S LOOK AT AN EXTENSION.
BUT LIKE MY PARTNER JAMES KIM SAID, SLAP IN THE FACE.
SO A COUPLE THINGS TOOK 30 SECONDS LATER TONIGHT, YOU GUYS ARE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT ARPA ARPA FUNDS, AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT.
WE HAVE C HAS FIVE, 5 MILLION AND $5 MILLION TO, TO ESTABLISH.
AND ACTUALLY IT SAYS HERE WAS NOT PREVIOUSLY CONT UM, COMPLICATED FOR EL CAJON IMPROVEMENT.
OR I'M SORRY, I ALTEON PARK IMPROVEMENTS IN POLICE DEPARTMENTS, FACILITY UPGRADES USE THAT MONEY FOR US.
WE SUPPORT PAY WHEREAS WE SUPPORT PAY, UM, EQUALITY AS A MEAN OF, AS A MEANS TO ENSURE THAT ALL INDIVIDUALS ARE COMPENSATED.
WHEREAS BY WORKING TOGETHER, WE CAN CREATE A COMMUNITY AND WORKFORCE WHERE EQUALITY, INCLUSION OPPORTUNITY, NOT JUST IDEAS, BUT LIVED AND IS A REALITY FOR ALL.
THAT'S YOUR PROCLAMATION FOR TONIGHT.
PAUL WADOWSKI BE FOLLOWED BY JEREMY DAY.
HEY GUYS, GOOD AFTERNOON MAYOR.
UM, SOMEONE ONCE SAID THAT LIKE SLAVERY AND APARTHEID, POVERTY IS NOT NATURAL.
IT IS MANMADE AND IT CAN BE OVERCOME AND ERADICATED BY THE ACTIONS OF HUMAN BEINGS.
THERE'S AN OBVIOUS CRISIS TODAY AS PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING MORE THAN EVER, ESPECIALLY IN THIS CITY, TO MEET THEIR OWN BASIC NEEDS AND THEY HAVE TO WORK MULTIPLE JOBS OR THEY HAVE TO COME UP WITH CREATIVE SOLUTIONS TO MAKE A BUDGET WORK LIKE THIS CITY SHOULD WE KNOW THAT UNIONS ARE THE ONLY PATH TO THE POWER OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.
AND I SUPPOSE THAT MAYBE IT'S UNREASONABLE TO EXPECT THE BUREAUCRACY HERE, THE PROFESSIONAL MANAGERIAL CLASS, TO OPERATE PURELY IN GOOD FAITH IN NEGOTIATIONS LIKE THIS.
I WOULD EXPECT COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE RON TOO, UM, TO UNDERSTAND THE DIGNITY THAT COMES WITH A FAIR WAGE.
SO I ASK YOU TO PLEASE MOVE THESE NEGOTIATIONS TO AN HONEST AND MEANINGFUL MEDIUM QUICKLY ALSO IN THE FUTURE.
HOW ABOUT MORE RESTRAINT FROM THE MANAGERS? WHEN CONSIDERING ADDING MORE ESSENTIAL MIDDLE MANAGEMENT TO A DEPARTMENT, BUDGET CONCERNS SEEM TO DISAPPEAR.
WHEN IT'S TIME TO ADD A NEW BRANCH ON THE POWER TREE, WHY NOT CONSIDER ADDING MORE LOCAL UNION LABOR TO TEND TO OUR PARKS AND SERVE OUR CITIZENS IN RECREATION? MAYBE BOLSTER THE PUBLIC WORKS TEAM.
HOW CLOSELY ARE WE LOOKING AT CURRENT SPENDING THAT IS REVISITED ANNUALLY? LIKE MAYBE I DON'T
[00:15:01]
KNOW, THE SRO PROGRAM SO THAT MAYBE THAT MONEY COULD BE SPENT ON HELL, A NEW STREET REPAIR CREW OR ADDED STAFF TO THE HOMELESS OUTREACH, OUTREACH TEAM.SO I THINK WE NEED TO REALLY LOOK AT WHERE OUR PRIORITIES LIE.
THANK YOU JEREMY DAY TO BE FOLLOWED BY EDWARD NETTO.
GOOD EVENING, UH, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL STAFF RESIDENTS WATCHING AT HOME.
JEREMY DAY, NATIONAL CITY FIREFIGHTERS PRESIDENT, THE NATIONAL CITY FIREFIGHTERS BEGAN PREPARATION FOR NEGOTIATION.
WE FORMED OUR TEAM AND BEGAN MEETING IN PREPARATION FOR NEGOTIATING A MULTI-YEAR CONTRACT WITH THE CITY.
THE GOAL OF THAT, THOSE NEGOTIATIONS WERE HOPEFUL TO BRING US TO THE AVERAGE IN A MULTI-YEAR DEAL.
THE CITY'S EXPRESSED A DESIRE TO NEGOTIATE A SIX MONTH EXTENSION DUE TO LACK OF FINANCIAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE CITY'S POSITION.
WE DO HAVE EMPATHY FOR THE CITY AND THAT MANY OF THE STAFF ARE NEW, BUT MANY OF THE STORIES WE'RE BEING TOLD ARE THE SAME.
WE HAVE A TOTAL COMPENSATION SURVEY HAS BEEN COMPLETED BY THE FFA, WHICH SHOWS OUR MEMBERS ARE 11 TO 13.75% OUT OF THE MARKET AVERAGE.
WE ARE PROPOSING A FAIR INCREASE AND A BASE PAY IN A SIX MONTH EXTENSION.
WE'LL SEE YOU BEFORE YOU TONIGHT.
THIS IS IN HOPES TO GET TO JULY 1ST, WHERE WE CAN START NEGOTIATING A MULTI-YEAR CONTRACT.
THE CITY'S, THIS IS AN EXCERPT FROM WHAT YOU WILL HEAR TONIGHT IN THE AFER NEW NEW ACRONYM.
THE CITY'S POLICY IS TO MAINTAIN AN UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE EQUAL TO 10% OF A SINGLE YEAR'S BUDGETED GENERAL FUND OPERATING EXPENDITURE.
AS OF JUNE 30TH, 2023, THE UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE WAS $23 MILLION, WHICH IS ABOVE THE TARGET LEVEL OF $6 MILLION.
THIS TREND IS A COMMON THEME THAT YOU WILL SEE GRAPHED OUT FROM 2005.
WE FAR EXCEED THAT 10% WITH A CUSHION, BUT THERE IS NO POLICY THAT STATES WE SHOULD KEEP A CUSHION.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CITY'S POSITION AND THE FFAS POSITION HAS BEEN CALCULATED FOR YOU.
YOU'LL SEE THAT IN YOUR PACKET TONIGHT.
WHEN I LOOK AROUND THE ROOM HERE, THERE IS A COMMON THEME.
I'M HERE SPEAKING FOR FIREFIGHTERS, BUT THERE IS A COMMON THEME IN THIS ROOM.
THERE'S A COMMON THEME ACROSS THIS CITY.
EMPLOYEES IN THIS CITY, EVERY CLASSIFICATION DOES MORE WITH LESS AND THEY ARE COMPENSATED LESS THAN THE AVERAGE ACROSS THE BOARD ACROSS THE CITY.
WE NOT, WE'RE NOT HERE FOR THE PAY.
IT'S OBVIOUS WE'RE NOT HERE FOR THE PAY OR WE WOULD BE WORKING FOR OTHER CITIES.
WE'RE DOING IT BECAUSE WE LOVE THIS COMMUNITY.
WE LOVE WHAT WE DO HERE, AND IT'S TIME THAT WE ARE FAIRLY COMPENSATED.
WE TALK A LOT ABOUT VALUING EMPLOYEES AND ENSURING EMPLOYEES ARE FEEL VALUED.
IT'S TIME TO MAKE THAT STATEMENT TRUE.
THANK YOU EDWARD NETTO TO BE FOLLOWED BY JAMES SLADE.
UM, I JUST WANNA MAKE A COMMENT.
UM, HE DID MENTION THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR 2023, JUNE 30TH OR 2024, ALMOST TWO 20,000, 25.
I ONLY HAVE TWO MINUTES, SO I'LL GET RIGHT TO IT.
I'M, I'M RIGHT HERE TO, UH, TALK AS A CITIZEN, NOT AS A SPECIAL INTEREST ADVOCATE, BUT JUST AS A REGULAR LONG-TERM NATIONAL CITY RESIDENT, PAY TAXES, SALES TAX, PROPERTY TAX.
THE CITIZENS EXPECT THE, THAT THEIR FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITIES OF GOVERNMENT WORKERS BE UPHELD.
BEN HAS FAILED US IN, IN MANY TERMS, HE'S FAILED US AS AN INTERIM AND AN ACTING CITY DIRECTOR, MANAGER.
NOT ALL, YOU ALL KNOW THE BEN SPECIFICS.
THEY'VE BEEN IN THE NEWSPAPER, BUT THE FLUSH FUND, I'M NOT GOING TO GET, GET INTO THEM, BUT FRANKLY I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE TIME.
UH, I WOULDN'T HAVE THE TIME TO DESCRIBE THEM ALL I'VE COME TO BEFORE THIS COUNCIL, MANY TIMES IT TEARS ME APART TO TALK TO, TO ANYONE ABOUT, UM, THE WAY I'M TALKING ABOUT BEN.
BEN'S A NICE GUY, BUT HE'S BEEN PUT IN A POSITION TO, IN A POSITION THAT 55,000 CITIZENS COUNT ON HIM.
BUT TIME AFTER TIME, HE HAS UNEXPLAINED QUESTIONABLE JUDGMENT CALLS THAT CONSISTENTLY ACCOMMODATE RODRIGUEZ QUESTIONABLE EXPENDITURES AND, AND EFFORTS.
THESE COSTS AND EFFORTS HAVE BEEN DRAINED ON THE CITY RESOURCES.
HIS ACCOMMODATIONS TO RODRIGUEZ HAVE STRAINED THE CITY GOVERNMENT'S REPUTATION.
SUSTAINED THE GOVERNMENT REPUTATION.
IF I WERE BEN, MY DEFENSE WOULD BE THAT THE COUNCIL, AND SPECIFICALLY RODRIGUEZ IS MY BOSS.
SO I HAVE TO DO WHAT THEY TELL ME.
SO I WOULD NOT BE HELD SO I SHOULDN'T BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR BAD DIRECTIONS.
HE, HE COULD BRING UP THAT THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CITY MANAGER SHOULD NOT, SHOULD OR SHOULD NOT BE OR NOT DEFINE FOR HIM WHEN HE CAME ON BOARD.
[00:20:01]
BUT GIVE ME A BREAK THAT DEFENSE WOULD DEFLECT FROM THE TRUE UNDERLYING CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM.HE CHOSE TO BE RESPONSIVE TO THE SELECTED VOICE, SELECTED VOICES, AND NOT BE RECOGNIZED FOR THE RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE NOT RECOGNIZING THE RESPONSIBILITY TO THE CITIZENS OF NATIONAL CITY.
HIS MORAL COMPASS SHOULD HAVE ALERTED TO, SHOULD HAVE ALERTED TO YOU TO, UH, WHAT SHOULD HAVE ALERTED HIM TO WHAT HAVE BEEN DONE.
OKAY, ED, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
OKAY, NEXT WE HAVE UH, UH, JAMES SLATE TO BE FOLLOWED BY, I THINK I'M READING THIS RIGHT.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF MY FELLOW COWORKERS HERE THAT YOU SEE ALL THESE YOUNG PEOPLE BEHIND ME.
NOT BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE, BUT BECAUSE WE HAVE TO BE BECAUSE WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE NOT BEING DEALT WITH FAIRLY.
NOW, I'VE BEEN A PRESIDENT OF THIS UNION AND YOU ALL KNOW ME FOR 16 YEARS EXCEPT FOR A COUPLE FACES UP HERE.
BUT YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME WE HAVE TO COME IN HERE, IT'S LIKE A GAME.
AND IT'S ABOUT TIME THAT WE FEEL THAT WE ARE WORTH WHAT WE ARE.
MORE, MORE THAN WHAT WE ARE WORTH TO THIS POINT, WHAT WE HAVE BEEN PAID.
OPEN UP THE COFFERS BECAUSE SEE, WHEN WE'RE OUT THERE IN THE FIELD AND WE'RE IN THESE ADMIN BUILDINGS AND WE'RE HANDLING BUSINESS AND WE'RE GETTING THINGS DONE, IT ALL LOOKS GOOD FOR YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND THEY GIVE YOU THE CREDIT THAT THEY'RE PROUD OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING BECAUSE THEY VOTED FOR YOU.
OKAY? BUT, YOU KNOW, IN THE CORE IT WAS US THAT MADE IT HAPPEN.
BECAUSE WITHOUT US YOU WOULDN'T HAVE A CITY.
WE RUN THE CITY, OKAY? AND UH, IT'S JUST THAT TIME THAT WE STOP PLAYING GAMES, OKAY? AND THAT'S WHAT WE FEEL LIKE NOW.
WHEN THINGS COME DOWN FROM THE TOP TO US, WE JUMP ON IT, WE GET THE THINGS DONE JUST AS YOU WANT IT DONE.
OKAY? NOW, WHEN IT'S NEGOTIATION TIME, WE COME TO YOU AND IT'S LIKE A GAME.
WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO COME HERE TWO TIMES IN A MONTH.
WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO COME HERE AT ALL.
OKAY? THE CITY WAS NOT READY TO NEGOTIATE WITH US.
AND IT'S YET MANAGEMENT, CITY COUNCIL, YOU ARE THE ONES THAT'S SUPPOSED TO LEAD THE CITY BY EXAMPLE.
AND SO THANK YOU WHEN YOU ASK FOR THIS EXTENSION, OKAY? WE ARE READY TO EXTEND, BUT IT COSTS BECAUSE THE HOLIDAYS ARE HERE, OKAY? AND WE WERE EXPECTING TO HAVE THIS NEGOTIATION WRAPPED UP BY NOW.
SO WE WANT YOUR CONSIDERATION.
AND I KNOW, I KNOW YOU'RE THANKING ME TO GET OUT AND SIT DOWN, BUT LET'S NOT PLAY THE GAME AND LET'S GET PEOPLE PAID.
HILDA PEREZ TO BE FOLLOWED BY.
IS IT?
I'M WORKING FOR, UH, NUTRITION CENTER.
UM, TRY TO SPEAK IN SPANISH 'CAUSE MAYBE YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND MY ENGLISH 'CAUSE I DON'T HAVE A GOOD ACCENT IN ENGLISH.
SO MAYBE I HAVE UNDERSTAND LIKE ONLY THREE OR FOUR PEOPLE WITH, UM, LUIS MOLINA.
UM, I ONLY STAY HERE 'CAUSE UM, I'M REPRESENTATIVES LOS.
[00:25:22]
OKAY.BEN, DO YOU WANT TO TRY THE TRANSLATION ON THAT? UH, I DON'T THINK FOR THE SPECIAL MEETINGS, WE DON'T.
WELL, I KNOW, I KNOW THAT'S TOO LONG.
AND THEN MAYBE PEOPLE CAN ADD THAT.
UM, SHE COMMENTED THAT IT DOESN'T MATTER, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT KIND OF WORK YOU DO, WHETHER, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, YOU'RE WORKING IN THE PARKS, CLEANING PARKS OR, UH, UM, PREPARING MEALS FOR SENIORS.
THEY, THEY WANT, SHE'S ASKING FOR JUST PAY.
UM, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT'S THE MAIN SYNOPSIS OF IT.
HEY, GOOD AFTERNOON MAYOR AND COUNCIL AND EVERYONE HERE, MY COWORKERS.
I'M A 27 YEAR EMPLOYEE WITH THE CITY OF NASHVILLE CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND I'M PROUD TO BE HERE TO REPRESENT MY COWORKERS.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF THE WAGES.
ONE OF MY DEAR FRIENDS WHO JUST RETIRED, I WON'T GIVE HER NAME BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE HER PERMISSION TO STATE HER NAME, BUT SHE WAS HERE FOR 34 YEARS AND UP UNTIL THE LAST NEGOTIATIONS, SHE STARTED MAKING WHAT I WOULD SAY IS FAIR WAGES.
SHE WAS TAKING HOME $1,200 EVERY TWO WEEKS.
THAT'S 80 HOURS, $1,200 EVERY TWO WEEKS AFTER PAYING FOR MEDICAL AND PENSION AND THIS AND THAT, ALL THE DEDUCTIONS.
I MEAN, SOMETIMES SHE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE MONEY TO GO TO LUNCH.
SO WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS THERE'S SOME PEOPLE, A LOT OF PEOPLE WORKING FOR THE CITY, LIKE JAMES SAID, WHO ARE JUST A PAYCHECK AWAY FROM BECOMING HOMELESS.
WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR BIG WAGES OR CHRISTMAS BONUSES, WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR FAIR WAGES.
AND IF YOU VALUE YOUR EMPLOYEES, YOU'RE GONNA SHOW US BY GIVING US FAIR WAGES.
WE WOULD ALLOW HIM TO WEAR THE PURPLE HAIR THAT HE WAS WEARING.
I MEAN, IF WE WOULD'VE, I MEAN IT.
THAT IS ALL OF OUR SPEAKERS, UH, THAT WE HAVE FOR THIS EVENING.
[5. CLOSED SESSION]
WE DO, UH, WE WILL BE GOING TO CLOSE SESSION AND I WILL TURN THAT OVER TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY FOR THE ANNOUNCEMENT.UH, YEAH, THERE IS, UM, WE WILL ONLY BE GOING INTO SESSION ON 5.1 TONIGHT.
WE WILL NOT BE GOING INTO CLOSED SESSION ON 5.2, WHICH IS THE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION.
OKAY? SO THAT'S, UH, WE DO HAVE ONE ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
UM, IT'S CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATORS AND IT INVOLVES THE FOLLOWING EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATIONS, MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION, NATIONAL FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION, AND THE POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION.
OKAY, WITH THAT, WE'RE IN A CLOSED SESSION.